SUNY Cortland Athletics

Geri Knortz enjoyed a successful career of more than 40 years as an athletic administrator and coach, including a combined 35 years at Saint Michael's College (Vt.) and Hamilton College, and was a former field hockey and softball player at Cortland.
 
* A native of Baldwin, N.Y., she earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Cortland in 1974, a Master of Science in Education from Northern Illinois University in 1978, a Master of Science in Administration from Saint Michael's College in 2005, and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Vermont in 2009.
 
* Played halfback on Cortland's field hockey team for two seasons (1970-72) and third base on Cortland's softball team for one year (1971-72), and served as a softball team manager for two seasons (1970-71 and 1973-74) during the infancy of both programs as varsity sports in the pre-Title IX era.
 
* Director of athletics at Saint Michael's College from 1997 until her retirement in 2015. First female Athletics Director in the 100-plus year history of the school, and only the fourth person to hold the position. Administered the school's 21 intercollegiate programs, the intramural/recreational sports programs, and the wilderness program.
 
* Under her leadership, Saint Michael's was recognized in 2008 as one of seven Division II institutions to be awarded the NCAA Diversity in Athletics Award for gender equity compliance.
 
* Served on, and then chaired, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics, which offers strong advocacy and leadership in providing equitable opportunities, fair treatment, and respect for women in all aspects of intercollegiate competition.
 
* 2005 finalist for the ECAC Katherine Ley Award (named for Cortland's former women's physical education department chair from 1966-78 and 2009 C-Club Hall of Fame inductee) for demonstrated leadership ability, and serving as a proponent of women's issues and as a role model for women coaches and administrators.
 
* Associate athletics director (1989-97), women's volleyball head coach (1982-97), softball head coach (1982-95), director of club sports (1982-97), physical education professor (1982-97, with various titles), and founder and director of Adirondack Adventure (1984-96) during her 15-year tenure at Hamilton College. First intercollegiate volleyball and softball coach in the school's history.
 
* Has continued to stay connected to SUNY Cortland, most notably through annual reunion treks to the William H. Parks Family Center for Environmental and Outdoor Education at Raquette Lake and interactions with President Bitterbaum at the annual NCAA conventions.